Yes I know this might belong in one of those "street kill" threads or something like that but I think this is related to performance as well as appreciation of the 2GS 4's abilities.

If you want to just have the flexibility of jumping off the light you'll find 2nd gear does quite well but you will have to eventually shift up because of 4.0 and 4.3 engines amazing ability to rev.

In fact what I find in some of these stop and go's is to actually leave the transmission in 3rd. Somehow the car prefers this and does much better over a short to middle distance.

You don't actually need to dip down as low as it'll go.

3rd is all the gearing you'll need and then shift up to 4. In 2nd you'll find a little bit of "flaring" as the transmission tries to catch up to you.

What this does is allow the car to jump to the speed quite smoothly. Now I should add you won't find much difference with the "ECT" option. That's for "D" only. And yeah turn off the VSC but only if you know this car's handling limits.

3 and 4 do quite well. Most of the time I like to take it easy and let it loaf along in 5 off course

 

I thought when putting the gear on 3rd, the transmission automatically shifts 1st and 2nd quickly. I don't the know, but I do feel a difference when starting at 2nd or 3rd though, couple of wheel spins here and there.

 

How do you start from second or 3rd?

 

By sliding the floor shifter to 2 or 3 when at a stop (be careful not to over rev; you having the v8, you'll move it to 4 gear then Drive for the final drive). I'm guessing when moving to those gears and begin accelerating, 1st and/or 2nd gear is bypassed.

 

Exactly. Having the shifter in 2 means it will stay in 2. But you will run up against the redline pretty quick. 3rd will mean the tranny won't go beyond that gear until you shift up.

I find starting in D even with ect seems to make the tranny actually "mumble" to itself as it actually tries to shift down... or so it seems. Meaning that these cars shift up pretty quick or they are not starting in 1st at all with all that torque available.

3rd on the other hand is great. You're not forced to do a hasty shift up to 3 from 2nd and you still stay in the car's sweet spot for torque. I have actually hit highway speed in 3 no problem.

 

I dont think the car can move from 3rd gear. Floor shift to 2nd or 3rd means that the transmission will not shift pass those select gears. It does not mean that it starts the car from 0 at 2nd or 3rd. If you have driven a stickshift car before then younwill know exactly what i am talking about.

 

If you have the steering wheel switches, depressing the DOWN button and manually shifting into M from 3 only allows a 3-4 shift.

I suspect that all cars have the manual shift steering wheel button CAPABILITY, but I suspect the down switch wiring is shorted at the transmission controller so it won't go 3-5 if there isn't enough throttle applied (and being no steering wheel switches present).

 

I still dont think you can start the car from second gear. I think it always starts from 1st, even if you move the shifter into 2nd....the car will start from 1st and shift into 2nd but it will not shift out of 2nd.